In a chilling development that’s deepened the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Travis Turner, the 46-year-old former Union High School football coach from Big Stone Gap, Virginia, search crews uncovered what they described as a “makeshift resting spot” near his last known location on December 6, 2025. The find—broken branches, crushed leaves, and a single burned match—came amid reports of a fresh GPS ping from Turner’s phone, detected in a remote area of Wise County’s rugged terrain. Authorities have not confirmed if the site is directly linked to Turner, but analysts believe it could indicate he (or someone with him) was there less than 36 hours before discovery, raising urgent questions about his movements since vanishing on November 20 amid 10 felony warrants for child pornography possession and soliciting minors. As the manhunt enters its third week, with U.S. Marshals expanding efforts, this breakthrough has reignited hope—and fear—for his family and the shattered community.
The site was located by a K-9 unit from the Virginia State Police’s Wytheville Field Office, roughly 2.5 miles southeast of Turner’s Appalachia home, along an overgrown logging trail rarely used since the coal industry’s decline. “The broken branches suggest someone huddled here recently—perhaps overnight,” spokesperson Robin Lawson told WCYB News 5. “The crushed leaves indicate movement, and the burned match points to a fire for warmth or signaling.” Forensic teams recovered fibers matching Turner’s gray sweatshirt and a partial footprint consistent with his size 12 boot, but no DNA yet. Most tantalizing: a faint GPS signal from Turner’s phone pinged a tower in nearby Norton at 3:47 a.m. on December 5—15 hours before the site was found—suggesting the device (and possibly Turner) was active and mobile.
The discovery aligns with a new investigative theory that Turner’s disappearance wasn’t a panicked flight but a pre-planned evasion, potentially with assistance. His final text to a relative—”My wife and children are in danger”—and a hidden letter in his truck (“If you’re reading this, something went wrong… Protect the family”) hint at paranoia or threat. Retired detective Ken Lang, analyzing the evidence for News Channel 11, noted: “Three rest stops, 11 discarded items, and that ‘4:17 AM rendezvous’ note—it’s a route, not random wandering. The GPS ping confirms he was heading somewhere specific.” Unconfirmed reports suggest a burner phone or accomplice, with witnesses hearing voices in the woods around midnight on November 20.
Turner’s family remains in anguish. Wife Leslie Caudill Turner, 44, sobbed during a December 6 vigil: “I can’t stop thinking about it… maybe Travis ended his own life.” Son Grayden, 21, who has led the undefeated Bears to the Region 2D semifinals without his father, read the letter publicly: “Dad’s still fighting—we are too.” The team’s 12-0 record, culminating in a 28-14 win over Glenvar on November 29, honors Travis, a VHSL Hall of Famer (2005 inductee with Michael Vick). But the charges—uncovered in a months-long VSP probe—cast a long shadow: “Additional charges pending,” Lawson said.
The community of Big Stone Gap (pop. 5,000) is fractured. A GoFundMe for searches has raised $25,000, but whispers of complicity swirl. Pastor Bryan Gunter preached resilience at First Baptist: “We’re bigger than this—pray for truth.” Superintendent Mike Goforth placed Turner on leave, with grief counselors at Union High (600 students). As drones buzz and cadaver dogs sniff, the “resting spot” and GPS ping offer clues—or cruel false hope. Was Travis resting, signaling, or hiding with help? The woods hold answers; Big Stone Gap holds its breath.
